


Before It's Too Late

by FTinally



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: get ready for Pain, usually I write fluff but not this time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-30 08:57:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12105216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FTinally/pseuds/FTinally
Summary: Team Voltron is about to go into a battle, and it doesn't look good. Keith and Lance have some things they need to talk about, but working personal issues in around possibly dying is pretty tricky.





	Before It's Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> Although there is some definite pain in this fic...
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> ********SPOILER********  
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> **no one actually dies**  
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> ****End of spoilers*****

    Allura was frantically telling the team about an incoming fleet of Galra ships, and she and Keith were firing off battle strategies, but Lance couldn’t focus on any of it. He had a really bad feeling about this battle, deep in the pit of his stomach. There were a lot of ships coming, more than he could count as each little purple dot bliped on the monitor above them. Fifty? Sixty? More than that. They just kept coming. Lance vaguely heard Allura say they had about twenty minutes before the Galra fleet would be upon them, and Lance robotically rose with the rest of the team (minus Shiro, he couldn’t help but think), and follow them towards the hallway that lead to their rooms.

    As they walked Lance could see the others seemed to share his concern, which wasn’t comforting. Hunk was absently paying with his hands, like he often did, and Pidge’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates; sometimes Lance forgot she was only fifteen. And Keith...Keith was stone faced in a way Lance had never seen before. Usually with Keith’s hard expression Lance could tell it was a front, a mask to hide behind. There was a reason Lance joked about “emo keef” all the time, after all. But this...this was different. Keith’s eye’s had a hard look of determination in them, but Lance could also see that Keith was terrified, and if anything that scared him the most. Keith rarely looked truly scared, and seeing him that was now didn’t give Lance a good feeling about this fight.

     He stopped at the nearest bathroom quickly, mostly to splash some water on his face, before heading to his room to put on his Paladin suit. As Lance took a good look around the room, wondering if this would be the last time he saw it, his eyes fell onto a piece of paper that sat on the floor. Contrary to what might be expected of him, Lance was a pretty neat person, so the paper was definitely out of place. Lance picked it up, recognizing the sharp scrawl quickly. Keith. It hadn’t been there that morning, so Keith must have just dropped it off now.But why? They didn’t have time for this now, and frankly what was more important then getting ready for the battle before them? It took Lance a minute to remind himself that Keith was the leader, so this must be important, and more than that, Keith was his friend, and if they were going into this battle right now, this might be the only chance Lance got to read it. He owed it to Keith to read it now.

 

~~_ Dear Lance, _ ~~

~~_ Hey Lance, _ ~~

_ Lance, _

_     You and I both know that, well...things aren’t looking good with this battle. I didn’t want to worry the others because Hunk is already really skittish, and Pidge is just so young (no matter what she thinks), but you...you deserve to know the truth. All of it. And the truth is I’m not sure if we’re all going to make it out of this fight. I’m not sure if I’m going to make it out. And if that’s the case...there’s something I need you to know before that happens. _

_     Lance, when I first met you, I thought you were an idiot. I really did. You never seemed to take anything seriously, and every time I turned around you were there making some kind of joke. Then I got kicked out of the Garrison, and I thought I’d never see you again. But instead you were there when we rescued Shiro, and then we found Blue, and before any of us knew what was happening we were a team charged with saving the universe. I’ll admit, I thought it was going to suck having to work with you, but...you surprised me. You’re unlike anything I thought I knew about you, and I’m glad. Being part of Voltron with you has been better than I could have expected, and if we had to get thrown into space to save the universe, I’m glad I have you on my side to do it with. _

_     I know you don’t think you’re valuable to the team. I overheard you talking to yourself one night, but I wasn’t really sure how to approach you about it. But if we’re going into this fight right now, Lance, if there’s one thing you need to know it’s that you’re so important to this team, and to all of us. You’re funny, and smart, and you’re really good at shooting --- I’m sorry, I’m really bad at words. What I’m trying to say is we need you. We all know you’ve got our backs in a pinch, be it while in battle or just feeling homesick (yes, I’ve seen you comfort Hunk more than once). _

_     There’s also one more thing I have to tell you. Only, this is...different. I’m not really sure how to say it. I know we’ve only known each other for a few months (I think. Time is weird in space), but it feels like so much longer. I guess that’s what life threatening situation do, huh? I’m getting off track--- _

 

    “Lance, are you coming?” Allura yelled. Lance jumped, dropping the letter from Keith.

    “Yeah, on my way!” he yelled back, pulling on his suit quickly. Without hesitation Lance tucked the letter unto the front of his armor; hopefully he could finish it before they actually had to start fighting. Lance ran to Red, who awoke as soon as Lance touched her side. He climbed into the seat with ease, and soon he found himself out in the dark vastness of space with his team around him. Lance reached for the letter tucked in his suit when he heard Keith’s first warning.

    “Here they come, guys. This is it. Our biggest fight yet. I know this looks bad, but I believe in all of you. Ready?”

    “Ready,” came four hesitant agreements.

    And so it began.

    The battle was even worse than Lance had feared. They were surrounded almost instantly, and no matter what they did there were always more ships coming at them. Even after forming Voltron they still were only barely holding their ground. Coran did his best to help from the ship, but there were just too many Galra. There had to be over a hundred and fifty ships here, and that wasn’t counting the ones they had already taken out.

   Eventually Keith called for them to separate in order to cover more area. Lance didn’t like the idea, but he trusted Keith and pulled back on Red, feeling her disconnect from Black. At first everything seemed okay as they continued firing into the fleet of ships. Lance could hear Allura yelling at Coran, asking if there was any way to get them out of the area, despite their low energy reserves. Lance swung Red around to shoot at a Galra ship coming in fast behind Hunk, but he didn’t see the one coming at Keith. In seconds Keith and Black had taken a direct him from some bright purple beam that Lance had never seen before. It was blindingly bright, and it crackled with electricity even after the hit. The side of Black was badly dented, and it took Lance to see that there was a hole in the armor. A hold that lead right into the cockpit.

    “Keith!” Lance yelled. No response. Keith wouldn’t answer, and Black didn’t appear to be moving at all.

    “Coran, get us out of here NOW!” Allura shouted. Lance sped toward Black as fast as he could, ducking and shooting ships along the way. When he got close enough to see Keith more clearly he felt sick. The hole in the side of Black was huge, and the whole inside looked dark. No power at all. And Keith. Keith. In the darkness Lance could barely see him, but he was able to gather two things: Keith was unconscious, and injured. Badly.

    “Coran, Allura, we have to get Keith out of here now!” Lance yelled, blasting another ship away from Black. It took everything he had to keep himself thinking somewhat clearly.

    The next few minutes were a blur; Coran did something, and the next thing Lance knew they were back in the Lion Hanger. Lance was the first one out of his Lion and was over at Black in seconds. What he saw inside made his stomach drop to the floor. The entire inside of the cockpit was black, burned by whatever that lazerbeam had been. Keith was still unconscious, but now Lance could see his entire right side where he’d been hit was burned and bloody. Lance carefully pulled Keith out of his chair and carried him as fast as possible to the medical bay where Coran, Allura, and Pidge were waiting, Hunk arriving just behind Lance.

    “Okay, if you aren’t trained in medicine, out!” Coran ordered sharply. It wasn’t often Coran gave orders like that, but Lance knew why he did. Keith was in bad condition. Really bad. Hunk went to the kitchen, since cooking always helped him when he was worried, but Lance couldn’t think of anything to do besides sit outside the medical bay and wait. He’d been there for almost an hour when he remembered. Keith’s letter. He’d never finished it. Quickly Lance tore the folded piece of paper out of his armor and smoothed it out, finding where he’d left off.

  
  


_     I know we’ve only known each other for a few months (I think. Time is weird in space), but it feels like so much longer. I guess that’s what life threatening situation do, huh? I’m getting off track. What I’m trying to say is...how do I say this? Lance, I care about you. A lot. But not just as a teammate or a friend. I don’t know when it started, but somehow, one day I just noticed that...I realized that...dammit, Lance, I love you, okay? And if one of us is potentially going to die today in this battle I needed you to know that. I don’t expect you to feel the same. We all know you’re the ladies man of Voltron, after all. But something didn’t feel right about not ever telling you. Maybe it’s my own twisted false hope. Anyway, I’m sorry. I can’t change how I feel, and believe me, I tried. I know it would be easier for all of us if I just kept it to myself, but it hurts too much to do that any more. Every time I see you flirt with some girl all I can feel is this tight clench in my stomach, wishing it was me that you’d toss a cheesy line at. Quiznak, this sounds so pathetic. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wrote you this letter right before we have to go into battle, I’m sorry I’m putting you in this position, and I’m sorry that I’m pathetically, hopelessly in love with you. But I am. I love you, Lance McLaine. _

 

   Lance didn’t realize he was crying until a tear landed almost on the word love, and he quickly moved the paper so he would smear anything. He stared at the words for a long time, running them through his head again and again. Keith. Keith loved him. Keith loved him so much he had desperately written out a confession for him incase one of them died. And now Keith was laying in the med bay in the exact place he’d feared one of them would be, and Lance couldn’t even tell him...what? Anything. But what, exactly? Lance’s thoughts were spinning to fast for him to even begin to think of a what, or a how, or anything beyond ‘Keith loves me, and he very well could be dying in the room next to me, and I can’t even see him’.

    Hunk came by a few hours later with some cookies he had attempted to make, but the thought of eating made Lance sick.

   “How’s he doing?” Hunk asked, sitting down on the cold metal floor next to Lance.

   “No idea. No one’s come out since they’ve gone in. Hunk...I’m really worried about him. Did you see him? He was burned so badly, and all that blood...”

    “I know,” Hunk said solemnly. “I know. I’m worried about him, too. We’ve already lost Shiro...I don’t think any of us could handle losing Keith, too.”

    “He...he wrote me a letter,” Lance said slowly. He and Hunk used to tell each other everything. Being friends since you were toddlers would do that to you, after all. But this...this felt both monumentally big, and like a small secret just for him and Keith. But lance needed to tell someone something. Anything to get it somewhere other than his head.

    “Keith did?”

    “Yeah, before the battle. I found it in my room. Hunk, he...he...he an I have a lot we need to talk about,” Lance finally said. Hunk nodded thoughtfully.

    “Y’know, that doesn’t really surprise me,” he said. Eventually Hunk went to go check on the ship, since no one was really monitoring it at this point. Lance knew he should go do something productive, too, but he couldn’t make himself move from where he sat on the floor. He needed to know.

    It was hours before the med bay doors opened, and an exhausted Allura, Coran, and Pidge trudged out.

    “Is he okay?” Lance asked, rising from the floor so fast he felt dizzy.

    “He’s stable,” Coran said. “But it’s going to be a while before I can say he’s going to be okay. That blast he took...I’ve never seen anything like it before. He’ll need round the clock supervision for a while, just to make sure his vitals don’t suddenly plummet.”

    “I’ll take first watch,” Lance said without hesitation. Coran and Allura nodded.

    “Okay then. Someone will be by in a few hours to relieve you,” Allura said. Lance nodded, though he only understood what she said on the most basic level. He was wanted to go see Keith.

    As soon as Allura and Coran were gone Lance hurried into the med bay. Keith lay on a table, hooked up to every monitor and tube imaginable. He looked paler than Lance had ever seen him, and his breathing was ragged and shallow.

    “Keith,” he whispered, placing a hand on Keith’s arm gently. Keith didn’t react at all, unaware of Lance’s presence at all, and Lance had to swallow back the knot in his throat. “Hey Keith,” he said, a bit louder this time. “How ya doing? Coran said you’re stable now, which is good. Hopefully soon you’ll be back to your old self, huh?” without any response Lance sighed. “Okay, I can’t keep up this fake cheerful act, and if you were awake you’d probably hate me for it anyway. Keith...I’m really, really glad you’re alive. I got your letter. I don’t know how I never knew...well, okay, I’m not exactly perceptive sometimes, so I guess that’s how, but Keith...man, you gotta wake up so we can talk about all of this, okay? You hear me? You’re required to be okay, no exceptions.” Lance babbled for a while, and when he ran out of things to say he just sat, watching Keith fight to stay alive. The consistant beeping of his monitors eased Lance’s concern slightly, assuring him that Keith was there, alive, and his heart was beating steadily. He barely noticed when Hunk came to take his shift watching Keith. Although he didn’t want to leave, Lance knew he needed to sleep if he wanted to be able to stay awake during his next shift. In his room he lay curled up in bed, Keith’s letter folded up neatly and tucked under his pillow.

 

_____

 

    Weeks later Keith still didn’t seem to have made much improvement in Lance’s eyes. Coran swore he was getting better, and during the day they had cut the about of supervision time down to several checks ins throughout the day. At night, though, someone still say with him, just in case. Tonight Lance’s shift was at what he figured was around two am earth time, and he made sure to go to bed early to compensate for that. His worry had gone down significantly since the battle, but he still couldn’t fully rest assured that Keith really was getting better. When his alarm went off and he traded places with Pidge, the first thing Lance did was check Keith’s vitals. Not that he dared touch anything, but he could read the screens that flashed and glowed next to him.

    “Well, Keith, according to Coran you’re on the mend. I hope so, too, because I miss having you around. I know, I know, you never thought you’d hear me say it. To be honest a few months ago neither would I. We had a pretty interesting start, huh? You know I used to hate you? I used to think you were some stuck up, too serious jerk who just wanted to one up everyone, which was why I was so desperate to beat you. Then again, like you said in your letter, I guess I can see how you would have thought I was a class clown type. We were both pretty wrong, though, huh? I mean, you’re not a jerk, and you’re certainly not stuck up. You do have some issues with fun, though, you gotta admit. Anyway, I hope you wake up soon, because I really want to talk to you about that letter. It’s been killing me these past few weeks. At first I thought it would be okay, give me time to think about it, y’know? But it didn’t take me very long to know exactly what I want to tell you. When you wake up, Keither, and you’re healthy enough to handle a big, emotion filled discussion, I’m going to tell you about all those times I acted like a total dweeb, and looking back it was all in an attempt to get your attention. I’m going to tell you about the time I woke up in the middle of the night from some weird dream I can’t remember, but how I do remember you were the only thing on my mind, and at the time I couldn’t figure out why. And most importantly, I’m going to tell you that you aren’t hopeless or pathetic, and that you never have to apologize for your feelings, least of all to me, because reading that in your letter was heartbreaking. So yeah, I’m going to tell you all of that, and then I’m going to find us some planet with really good food, and I’m going to take you out on the best intergalactic date I can. And that probably sounds really really cheesy, but I don’t care. I just want you to wake up so I can tell you all for real.”

    Lance sighed, and since he didn’t see much reason not to, took Keith’s left hand that was free of bandages and injury, for the most part, and folding his fingers around Keith’s hand. He wasn’t sure how one he sat there, feeling Keith’s puse against his fingers and the rough callouses he had built uf from swinging his bayard around, but all of a sudden Lance felt a twitch under his hand.

    “Wha- Keith?” Lance asked, looking at Keith’s still-emotionless face. He waited several minutes, but nothing happened. “C’mon, Keith,” Lance said, gently squeezing Keith’s hand. “C’mon, I know I felt you move. Can you hear me, Keith?” Lance’s breathing was fast, but he tried to keep it quiet, straining to hear anything that might indicate Keith was waking up. After a few more minutes Lance heard one of the monitor start beeping more quickly, and Keith’s head rolled to face Lance. It took another agonizing minute for Keith to slowly open his eyes. Despite the darkness of the room he still squinted as if there was a bright light in his eyes, but Lance could pick out the exact moment Keith’s eyes focused on him.

    “L-Lance?” Keith slurred, his voice thick and hoarse from not being used.

    “Yeah, yeah Keith, it’s me,” Lance said. “Oh my god, you’re awake. You’re actually awake! I have to go get everyone!” Lance stood up to go get the others, but Keith stopped him.

    “Wait,” Keith croaked. “Not yet.”

    “What do you mean not yet?” Lance asked. “We’ve all been sick with worry since you got hurt!”

    “Gotta talk t’you first,” Keith said. “You...you got my letter?”

    “Yeah, yeah I did,” Lance said. “But don’t worry about that now. We’ve got plenty of time to-”

    “No.” Keith shook his head as best he could. “Need to know now. You read it?”

    “Oh course I read it,” Lance said. 

    “And?”

    “And,” Lance said, walking over to Keith’s bed. He brushed the hair out of Keith’s eyes, and gave him a small smile that he knew came off more shy than any smile he’d ever given before had. “I’m going to take you on the best space date in the history of the universe as soon as you’re well enough.” Keith smiled as widely as he was able, and Lance made a mental note that he needed to make Keith smile more. Brooding emo boy was definitely not his best look. Then he reminded himself that he was still the only one who knew Keith was awake, and he hurried off to wake the others.

 

_____

 

    “What is this place?” Keith asked.

    “Something Allura recommended,” Lance said as he pulled open the heavy door. “Apparently this place is one of the best restaurants this side of the....okay, I don’t actually remember what she said, but it’s good.”

    “Honestly, as long as it’s not food goo I’ll be happy,” Keith said. “Thank goodness Coran cleared me to eat real food in time for this. Wouldn’t that just be my luck? You plan all of this, and then I can’t eat anything and ruin our...” Keith stopped, the word he was thinking of sticking in his throat.

    “Date?” Lance supplied with a grin, taking a seat at their table.

    “Yeah, date,” Keith agreed, sitting across from him. While they looked over the menus and waited for their food Keith was surprised at how easy Lance made it to keep the conversation going. Every time Keith thought he’d run out of things to say or driven the conversation into a corner Lance somehow managed to save it, either asking him a question or just smoothly changing the subject entirely. When their meals arrived they looked like something Dr. Seuss drew with a pack of highlighters.

    “I’m blind!” Lance said, shielding his eyes from his plate once their server left. Keith snorted.

    “It’s not that bad,” he said, cutting off a bite sized piece of his meal and stabbing it with his fork.

    “Wait!” Lance said, quickly cutting a piece of his own food. He lifted the fork out toward Keith. “I propose a toast to your good health! May you continue to heal!”

    “Lance!” Keith hissed, eyeing the guests surrounding them who were staring with varying degrees of annoyance. “You’re making a scene!”

    “Ugh, fine, party pooper. At least cheers with me, okay?” Lance begged. Keith sighed, but he clinked his fork against Lance’s. Satisfied, Lance popped the neon blue bite of food into his mouth.

    “How is it?” Keith asked. Lance made a face.

    “Kind of...sour? But also...spicy? I don’t know, it’s weird. How’s yours?” Keith hesitantly put the purple and teal speckled food in his mouth.

    “It’s...not bad. Actually, it’s pretty good. It’s kind of...sweet, but not sweet, I guess? I don’t know, we don’t have anything like this on earth.”

    “Can I try some?” Lance asked.

    “Sure.” Keith cut another piece and dropped it onto Lance’s plate.

    “You’re right,” Lance said. “It’s like sweet, but not sweet. A little salty, too. It’s good. Here,” Lance cut a piece of his own food and handed it to Keith, still on the fork. Keith looked at Lance for a long minute before he reached over and wrapped his hand around the fork to pull it closer, letting his fingers brush Lance’s. While Keith chewed the strange food he smirked at Lance, who was rapidly turning pink.

    “It’s pretty good,” Keith said. “We’ll have to tell Allura she was right, this place is great.” Lance only nodded.

   After dinner they wandered around the planet they were on. Allura had assured them they were safe here, and it was nice to walk around without worrying about getting shot at for once. As they passed the beach with purple water that Allura had warned Lance was probably not safe for humans Lance wondered what they could do around here that wouldn’t give them any weird alien diseases. All he wanted was to take Keith on a normal date, after all!

    “Hey, look!” Keith said, pointing at the sky. A meteor shot by, much closer to this planet than they ever came to earth.

    “Holy quiznak,” Lance said, watching one after another fly by them. “I guess it’s a meteor shower tonight?”

    “Guess so,” Keith said. “C’mon, let’s find a good seat.” Eventually they found a patch of what Lance had elected to call grass, even though it was orange and felt disturbingly like fur. Keith sat with his legs straight out in front of him, leaning back on his hands. Lance sat with his legs crossed, noting that there was a lot less space between them than he had anticipated.

    “This is so cool,” Keith said. “You know, I used to sneak up to the astronomy tower at the Garrison at least once a week?”

    “Why am I not surprised?” Lance chuckled. “Any particular reason, or?”

    “I just really like the stars,” Keith said, shrugging. “They’re cool. Especially out here. I mean, think about it. We’re seeing stars that no one on earth has ever seen before, or likely ever will see.”

    “I mean, when you say it like that-” Lance turned to look at Keith and cut off his own sentence. “Woah.”

    “What?” Keith asked.

    “Your eyes,” Lance said, leaning closer. “They’re reflecting the light from the meteors, but like in every color of the rainbow!”

    “Weird. I wonder if it’s some...y’know, Galra thing?”

    “I don’t know, I’ve never seen anything Galra related look this pretty.” Lance stared at Keith’s eyes, and Keith let him, his eyes scanning every inch of Lance’s face.

    “Tonight must be the night for amazing things, I guess,” Keith finally said. “First you actually ask me out, then this happens.”

    “What do you mean “actually”?” Lance said, feigning offence.

    “Right, like you would have actually asked me out on your own,” Keith said. Lance shrugged, pushing himself just a bit closer.

    “I would have eventually,” he said. “I’m just glad you lived so that I could. No more almost dying, okay? I don’t think any of us can handle it. Especially me.”

    “Especially you?” Keith repeated.

    “Yeah.” Lance lay his head on Keith’s shoulder, and after a minute Keith rested his head against Lance’s. They both knew deep down there was no guarantee either of them would live to see tomorrow, or next week, or home, but at least they had right now.


End file.
